Forensic Medicine

Forensis

Public debate or foru

Forensic

Describe the debates that occur in courts of law and is even more broadly defines as any matter that is “pertaining to the law”

Forensic Medicine (Solis)

Branch of medicine that deals with the application of medical science for the purposes of and in the administration of justice

Forensic Medicine (Simpson)

Deals with the interaction of medical science with the law

Forensic Medicine (Gradwohl)

The application of medical knowledge to the administration of law and to the furthering of justice and, in addition, the legal relations of the medical man

Anatomical Pathology

A medial specialty concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the examination of organ and tissues

Deal with microscopic, macroscopic, biochemical, immunologic and molecular examination of organs and tisue

Clinical Pathology

A medical specialty that deals with laboratory examination of samples removed from the body

Forensic Pathology

Investigates death

Clinical forensic medicine

Branch of medicine which involves an interaction between the law, the judiciry and police involving living persons

Forensic Tapgonomy

Defined as the study of what happen to a human body after death

Forensic Thanatology

Investigates the mechanisms and forensic aspects related to death, like body changes that accompany death and the post-mortem period. Known as the scientific study of death

Role of Medico-legal Officer/Forensic Pathologist/Medical examiner/ coroner

Conducts autopsies

Conducts examination of victim of physical injuries

Examination of victim of sexual abuse like rape

Examination of arrested person/suspect for determination or for release

Conducts exhumations

Examines skeletal remains

Sero and histopath exam

DNA analysis

Attend court duties when summoned

Death reportable to the Medico-Legal Officer

Violent deaths

Accidents

Deaths under suspicious or unusual circumstance

Sudden and unexpected deta

Different aspects of Forensic Medicine

Death investigation

Crime scene investigation

Forensic taphonomy

Forensic thanatology

Human Identification

Physical injuries

Pathology

Evidence

Means sanctioned by the rules of court, of ascertaining in the judicial proceeding the truth respecting a matter of fact

Medical Evidence

Employed to prove a fact is medical in nagire

Types of medical evidence

Autoptic or real

Testimonial

Experimental

Documentary

Physical Evidence

Autoptic or real

Evidence made known or address to the senses of the court

Testimonial

A physician may be commanded to appear in court to give his testimony; he may be presented as an ordinary or an expert witness

Experimental

The witness may be allowed by the court to confirm his allegation or as a corroborated proof to an opinion he perviously stated

Documentary

An instrument on which is recorded by means of letters, figures or marks intended to be used for the purpose of recording that matter wh

Examples of documentary evidence

Autopsy report, death certificate, DNA analaysis report

Physical evidence

Articles and materials which are found in connection in connection with the investigation and which aid in establishing the identify of the perpetrator or the circumstances under which the crime was committed, or in general assist in the prosecution of a criminal

Types of Physical Evidence

Corpus deficit evidence

Associative evidence

Tracing evidence

Corpus Deficit Evidence

Objects or substance which may be a part of the body of the crime

Associative evidence

Evidence which link a suspect to a crime; clues like weapon, tools, garments, fingerprints

Tracing Evidence

Evidence which may assist the investigator in locating the suspect. Aircraft or ship manifest, physicians clinical record of medical tx, blodstains

Methods of preserving medical evidence

Photographs, A/V, Microfilm, Photostat, Xerox, Voice tracings, CCTVs

Sketching

Description

Manikin method

Preservation in the mind of the witness-recital of his refollection

Special mtd

Whole human body-embalming

Soft tx-10% formalin

Blood-refrigeration, sealed bottle container, addition of chemical preservatives

Stains- drying placing in sealed container

Poisons-sealed container